Audi hit all-time record sales in 2012, delivering 1,455,123 vehicles to customers, up some 11.7 percent on 2011.

The brand turned over £42.6bn and operating profits were up marginally in 2012 to £4.7bn, a good result, Audi says, because of the substantial investment being made in future models and production facilities. Audi’s return on sales margin was 11 percent and its return on investment 30.9 percent.

Audi’s biggest selling model last year was the Audi A4 saloon, which saw sales of 216,012. The A4 saloon was closely followed by the A6 saloon (214,129 units) and the Q5 which saw 205,986 sales in 2012. Audi also shifted 57,778 A6 Avants.

The biggest gains were seen with the Audi Q3, which saw sales leap to 91,841 units from 2011’s part-year sales of 9288. The Q7 also sold 56,193 units in 2012 and the A5 Sporback also saw strong sales at 53,522 units.

Lamborghini, which is part of the Audi brand group, sold 2083 cars in 2012, up from 1602 in 2011. The total was made up of 1161 Gallardos and 922 Aventadors. Ducati, Audi’s third brand, sold 41,102 motorcycles, a record for the Italian company.

Audi boss Rupert Stadler says Audi sales have doubled in the last 10 years and that the brand achieved all-time high sales in all regions of the world. Sales were up 28 percent in Asia Pacific and up 12 percent up in North America.

Audi sales in the UK reached 123,000 units, 7 percent up on 2011 and Audi is now 'neck and neck' with BMW in the UK.

Yes there are a million comments that could be made regarding blandness, badge engineering, style over substance etc, but in reality they are building what a good percentage of people want to buy, and they have learned the art of advertising their products in a way that makes people wants to buy them, so if you dont like Audi, blame the population of the world rather than the brand.

Hilton Holloway quotes Audi's turn-over for 2012 at £42.6 billion and operating profits at £4.7 billion. Considering that VW's total profit was around £10 billion, that says Audi made up half of the total group profits. That's a corker from Audi!

Hilton Holloway quotes Audi's turn-over for 2012 at £42.6 billion and operating profits at £4.7 billion. Considering that VW's total profit was around £10 billion, that says Audi made up half of the total group profits. That's a corker from Audi!

No it just reinforces comments above, people are prepared to pay extra for a badge, when for the most part, its just a re-engineered VW/SEAT/Skoda.

The reason Audi are selling so many is, like Ford and Vauxhall before them and now BMW is they are more interested in business sales than the private market.

No it just reinforces comments above, people are prepared to pay extra for a badge, when for the most part, its just a re-engineered VW/SEAT/Skoda.

Or the latter are re-engineered Audis?

I don't see it as any different, fundamentally, from the different trim levels within a manufacturer. Are people who buy a Titanium X Mondeo paying extra for the badge compared to the Zetec trim? Or are they paying more for the materials and kit?

I'm about to pick up my third Skoda but I know full well that there's more difference between my Yeti and a Q3 than the badge on the front. To me those differences aren't worth the extra cost (and for many of them I prefer how Skoda do it) but sharing a platform doesn't make two cars the same thing.

I don't understand why people say its all about the badge. For everything else in the world, people DO pay more, sometimes substantially more for the same thing in different specification.

For instance, in the same street, a house with double glazing, central heating, all mod cons, nice decoration, will typically cost thousands more than a physically identical house without.

I presume the badge snob commentors would also think people who buy the well specified houses are useless idiots who don't understand value for money?

From my experience of a Skoda Octavia (hired), VW Golf MK 6 (owned) and Audi A3 (test driven), these cars offer something over the other that makes their prices worthwhile. For instance, the seats in the Audi A3 are much nicer to sit on that those of the Skoda. Underneath yes, they roll on the same chassis, but I personally thought the Skoda too much of a specification compromise over the A3 or Golf. The way it goes down the road, you can feel the Skoda has cheaper dampers. Opening the door, and looking at the hinge, you can see and feel the VW's is solid and well engineered, while the Skoda's has been engineered to a price. etc. etc.